A man of many names in many places with many faces. Intensity incarnate who enthralled the masses regardless of whether he was friend or foe.
I was shocked, along with many others, to learn that Sid Eudy, famously known as Sid Vicious, Sid Justice, and Sycho Sid, died on August 26. Eudy, who was only 63 years old, will always be remembered as one of the great pro wrestling attractions of the 90s.
Sid’s passing was announced on Monday by his son Gunnar Eudy on Facebook, who stated that Sid had been battling stage 4 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma for several years. On Tuesday, Gunnar posted more about his father: “He was known as Psycho Sid Vicious to the world, but to our family, he was simply ‘Popper,’ the beloved grandfather.”
My first memory of Sid was when I stumbled upon NWA/WCW programming on TBS. Ole Anderson introduced Sid Vicious as the newest member of The Four Horsemen, and Sid’s target was none other than Robocop. I rolled my eyes, thinking, “No human can beat up Robocop.” Then I saw the blonde goliath cut a psychotic promo while intensely pointing into the camera
“ROBOCOP! I’M 6’9”, 320 lbs. I AM THE REAL MAN OF STEEL IN THE NWA, AND YOU BETTER LEARN TO LIKE IT!”
I was utterly convinced that Sid Vicious was going to kill Robocop (Hey, I was young.)
Sid’s wrestling career began in 1987, when he worked the Memphis territory as the hockey mask-clad Lord Humongous, followed by a brief stint as Vicious Warrior in New Japan Pro Wrestling before signing with World Championship Wrestling (WCW), where he became Sid Vicious and teamed with Dan Spivey to form The Skyscrapers.
Sid is a former 2x WWF Champion, 2x WCW World Heavyweight Champion, member of The Four Horseman, and headlined WrestleMania twice against Hulk Hogan and The Undertaker. He is the only wrestler to beat Bret Hart and Shawn Micheals for the WWF Title.
Sid defied convention in and out of the ring. Sometimes, it gave him a bad rap. Other times, it made him a genius. Vince McMahon told Sid he wanted to give him Hulk Hogan’s boots when recruiting him in 1992. Any other wrestler would have sold their soul for that role. Sid told McMahon that he believed his money was in being a heel.
Turning down the opportunity to be the next Hulk Hogan takes a special kind of confidence. Most…Everyone would call it crazy, but Sid knew something no one else did. You couldn’t mold him into some carefully crafted product. He was who he was; the people would only take him that way. Sid knew it, and there was power in that.
Sid Justice eliminated Hulk Hogan in the 1992 Royal Rumble. It was a spot designed to give Hogan sympathy and heat for Sid. The Albany, New York crowd flipped the script as they cheered Hogan’s elimination and booed him when, on the floor, he grabbed Sid’s arm and helped Ric Flair dump him out of the ring.
WWE edited the home video release of the Royal Rumble where the crowd booed Sid instead of cheering for him.
How about when Sycho Sid beat Shawn Micheals for the WWF Title at the 1996 Survivor Series? Micheals was the babyface, but the fans in Madison Square Garden didn’t get the memo. To put this in perspective, Sid gave Micheal’s elderly trainer, José Lothario, a heart attack when he hit him in the chest with a video camera, and the crowd STILL cheered him.
In 1999, a surprising pit stop in the land of extreme turned many heads. While ECW fans favored wrestlers with a wide range of skills, Sid was an exception. Despite having a limited set of moves, fans loved him. Wearing jeans instead of tights, Sid’s imposing presence and arsenal of power moves made him thrive under ECW’s hardcore rules, making him an unexpectedly perfect fit for the promotion.
It hurts more and more as wrestlers from my youth pass away. It’s a reminder of one’s mortality, which is scary. I’ve found myself watching some of Sid’s memorable matches and moments since the news broke.
Sid’s first title defense against Bret Hart at In Your House: It’s Time is underrated because it shows how well he could sell a prolonged beating when he’s usually the one giving it.
“YOU DON’T GIVE ME THE NIGHT OFF” promo, where he turned on Shawn Micheals and powerbombed him five times, exemplifying the menacing intensity that made him a star.
As a kid, my dream match was Undertaker vs. Sid Justice. I was always fascinated by the giants of the squared circle, and they were my favorites. Years later, Eudy returned as Sycho Sid, and the dream match finally happened in the main event of WrestleMania 13.
Sure, it’s one of the lowest drawing incarnations of the event, and the match with Taker isn’t remembered fondly. I don’t care. I remember how much fun I had with it during a less-than-ideal time in my life.
You’ve probably read some semblance of “He wasn’t the best wrestler” in various articles about Eudy’s passing. I never understood why people felt the need to write that. It’s like saying he sucked, but aw-shucks, he’s gone. Yes, both things can be true. Not every wrestler is mechanically proficient in the ring. However, Eudy’s success proves he wasn’t bad either.
Eudy was the typical figure people think of when they hear professional wrestling—a colossus with a chiseled physique and a boisterous persona. Eudy’s aura and charisma made him a larger-than-life character who captivated the masses by doing more with less.
In many ways, Sid is pro wrestling.
Recently, Eudy talked about his desire to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, hoping he has a better chance of induction now that Vince McMahon is gone from the company. Hopefully, time has healed enough wounds to enshrine “The Master and Ruler of the World.”
Share your favorite Sid memories and thoughts on a potential induction into the WWE Hall of Fame.
RingsideLogic.com 